Shakepeare’s timeless tale is uniquely transformed once again. Only this time, state of the art technology seamlessly blends cinema, dance and theatre. From the creative mind of Benjamin Millepied, choreographer of the Academy award-winning Black Swan, comes this reimagined vision of Shakepeare’s masterpiece Romeo & Juliet to a powerful score from Sergei Prokofiev that will reverberate in your mind well after the show has finished.
Direct from a sold out season in Paris, L.A, Dance Project, brings the magic to Sydney’s own Opera House for only a limited season. New life is breathed into the age old story with an urban backdrop to host a medium bending delight for the eyes and ears. The performance shifts dimensions on and off stage. In an expert use of space, the whole Opera House itself becomes part of the love story pulling the audience from backstage to forecourt with a real time broadcast of every second in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Millepied's vision of Romeo and Juliet as young adults navigating social norms adds a contemporary relevance to the story, making it accessible to audiences of all ages. The performance not only honors the timeless themes of love, loss, honor, and duty but also pushes the boundaries of interpretation and expectation, embodying the spirit of reinvention that defines the Contemporary Performance program at the Sydney Opera House.
The pas-de-deux roles of Romeo and Juliet are performed by three couples throughout the season - male/female, male/male and female/female - celebrating a universal and familiar love for all. The dancers are to be commended for their ethereal performance, capturing of the unyielding human experiences of love and fury. The technique blending of dance and dynamic videography takes an unexpecting audience into Millepied’s maelstrom performance that reinvigorates the familiar and delights in a uniquely modern lens of the star crossed tragedy. With its bold lens and innovative approach to storytelling, Millepied's Romeo and Juliet Suite is a welcome addition to the Opera House's repertoire. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience this iconic work in a whole new way, exploring the beauty of the building while immersing themselves in Millepied's inventive interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tale. It's a journey to be savoured and not to be missed.
The performance runs for a spectacular eighty mins without interval and is suitable for all ages. Don’t miss the chance to catch this timeless tale for a limited season from June 5-9th.
5/5 star
sydneyoperahouse.com/dance/romeo-juliet-suite?gad_source=1/
Production imagery credit Daniel Boud
